Covalent Bonds
by Exquisiteliltart
Summary: Co-written with Helebette. Post-curse. Regina casts a spell on Emma to try and erase her from Storybrooke, but magic is unpredictable especially when shower heads are involved...
1. Chapter 1

Title: Covalent Bonds

Pairing: Regina/Emma

Authors: Exquisiteliltart & Helebette  
Rating: M

Disclaimer: These characters are not our creative property

Summary:Regina casts a spell on Emma to erase her from Storybrooke, magic is unpredictable.

**A/N:** This story was written by both **Exquisiteliltart** and **Helebette**. This is truly a collaborative piece, as we have had so much fun working on this, and had some great people helping us out along the way. We would like to thank **Eshusplayground** for inspiring Regina's love for rap. We would also like thank **Giftofamber** and **Scribes and Scrolls** who have both been awesome and given invaluable advice and motivation on this.

We are having a lot of fun with it, so please, in the giving spirit of collaboration: review this with your comments and feedback!

**Regina**

Regina arrived to work early. Ever since the curse ended, and the people of Storybrooke remembered, the town had become a bit unmanageable. Nothing had really changed like she feared it would have. Although Regina was hated, she was still feared, and being one of the only people able to use the newly brought magic kept her power over the town firmly in place.

She hoped.

There was still the problem of the Savior. Emma posed the greatest threat to Regina's tenuous hold over Henry. It was obvious that as long as Emma was around, curse or no, Henry would favor her. Soon that would no longer be a problem; she planned to make Emma disappear. The worry that Emma constantly caused was taking a toll on her. She found herself obsessing over Ms. Swan's whereabouts and motives so often she was letting other duties slip.

There was only one solution to rid of her Emma once and for all. She had been diligently working on a spell to erase the woman as if she had never set foot in Storybrooke. Regina (quite literally) wanted to be unburdened from her thoughts of Emma. What better way than to erase her very existence?

Regina went over the enchantment once more, taking no chances. She lit a candle at her desk, smirking as she burned a strand of Emma's hair along with one of her own.

She eagerly recited the spell, feeling the magic energize her body in a rush of euphoria that never failed to excite her as she concentrated on thoughts of Emma and then...

She was wet, and naked.

Images of herself in various compromising sexual positions flashed through her mind for a brief confusing moment before fading away.

Regina was in a shower, and the handheld showerhead was wedged between her legs, a steady stream of warm water beating her clit.

Or rather Emma was in the shower.

As she looked down through eyes that were not her own she panicked at the sight of breasts that were certainly not her own. She recognized Emma's perky nipples immediately. She brought her free hand up and confirmed her fears, pulling water-darkened long blond hair into her field of vision.

Regina grabbed the slippery wall to steady herself; her knees threatened to buckle. If it was from the shock of being inside Emma's body or cumming hard and sudden without any warning she didn't know. She let out a startled cry, shocked to hear Emma's voice coming from her mouth. The foreign feeling, yet highly pleasurable orgasm, mixed with a burst of adrenaline caused her vision to swim.

She pulled the showerhead away from her overly sensitive clit and threw it down. She leaned against the shower wall and sunk to the floor as the full force realization of what happened dawned on her.

If she was in Emma's body, then presumably Emma was in hers!

Emma had screwed up the magic. She must have been thinking about Regina at the precise moment the spell was cast. Why Emma was thinking about Regina while in the shower and masturbating was a question Regina couldn't bring herself to ponder at the moment.

Regina's curiosity overrode rational thought, as she ran her hands over her current form, touching Emma's breasts and stomach. She still tingled from the orgasm and a blush rose on her cheeks as she raked her fingers through the coarse blonde curls she found between the tanned, toned thighs. She slid her finger through slick flesh, jumping slightly as she sought out her clit. She couldn't deny harboring secret thoughts about touching Emma in exactly this way- (well, not exactly like _this:_ in her imagination she was herself.) She pulled her fingers away reluctantly and brought them automatically to her nose, curiously sniffing in the scent of Emma's arousal before she could stop herself.

This is was all very wrong.

She had never fathomed that she was even capable of this kind of magic. Fear and panic blossomed in the pit of her stomach as she realized in despair that she had no idea when or how they could switch back.

The prospect of going through life as Emma Swan was also the worst hell she could imagine. The question of her magic was another horrifying thought that crossed Regina's mind as she slowly stood up, and went through the motions of washing Emma's body. Finding a bottle of repugnant orange blossom scented body wash on the shelf, she lathered Emma's chest, mapping her skin as her hands wandered in smooth strokes up and down Emma's torso and over those plump looking nipples, pinker and bigger than her own, but just as sensitive if not moreso.

Regina stored her magic in her heart, and said heart was currently in her body across town. She hoped Emma hadn't discovered this and set anything on fire or teleported her inside a brick wall. The thought of Emma _in_ her body seemed ever more atrocious. She was probably cramming her face with Cheetos and Coke, wiping her disgusting orange fingers all over her Versace suit... Regina wanted to scream again. She had to get over there.

She stumbled out of the shower in haste, almost falling, unaccustomed to her new sense of space and balance. Regina wrapped herself in a tiny towel and opened the bathroom door finding she had no idea where to go to find Emma's bedroom. Since the curse ended Snow, Charming and Emma moved into their own new house like a perfect family. All that was missing was Henry, and Regina confirmed a suspicion she had been harboring when she opened the first door on the left finding a furnished room obviously for a boy- Henry. She furiously opened another door, a closet, and finally found what had to be Emma's room.

Clothes littered the floor of the undecorated room, and the bed was unmade. Regina dried off as best she could and searched for something acceptable to wear. She rutted through a hamper and produced semi-clean smelling underwear, shimmying into them in an uncoordinated and haphazard way. She found a pair of discarded jeans, and thankfully Emma's wallet and phone were in the pockets. No badge and gun though.

She scrolled through the contacts list looking for "Mayor Mills" or "Regina" to no avail. There weren't many contacts in the phone and Regina sorely recognized her office number listed under "Royal Bitch." She shook her head in anger and dialed herself.

**Emma**

Emma wondered if her latest round of imagined debauchery with the Mayor had actually resulted in a head injury. Perhaps her orgasm had made her slip, fall; hit her head on the way down.

How else could she explain the change of scenery? Emma looked around at the walls of Regina's office.

Emma was dry and no longer in the shower. Obviously.

She was also clothed.

Emma looked down at the conservative grey jacket, the mustard colored silk shirt, the knee-length skirt and the heels she would never, ever wear, not in a million years, not…

Emma also noticed the ring. A green gem on a simple band. Emma turned it over in the light.

The ring. The office. The clothes.

Emma flew to a mirror, realization dawning.

She touched her face—Regina's face. She pinched herself hard.

"Well then." Emma muttered, startling herself as she recognized Regina's voice.

She had not hit her head after all.

Her confused wanderings were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

"Madame Mayor," Sidney opened the door quickly and rushed inside. "I have the paperwork you requested. As well as photographic proof—the Kings are indeed plotting."

"Oh. Well then." Emma stared numbly at her least favorite member of the town. Actually, Sidney pissed Emma off even more than Rumpelstiltskin did. Emma smiled, suddenly certain that she might destroy the Mayor by having her actually murder Sidney Glass.

Sidney yelped and backed away as Emma advanced on him.

"Regina?" Sidney smiled, looking worried still, and reached out to touch Regina's—Emma's—arm.

"Sidney." Emma struggled to find the words appropriate to calm herself down. Her thoughts were really muddled—her mood was as well. Was she suffering from Regina's emotional makeup as well as inhabiting her body? Emma had once read that emotions were chemical, which meant that they were physical. She shifted on painfully high heels and tried not to grimace. "What exactly are the Kings plotting?"

That snapped them out of their weird standoff. Sidney grinned and took out the photographs and papers. He spent the better part of ten minutes explaining the plot to Emma—it had something to do with creating a second Kingdom, one in which Regina would have no earthly powers.

Emma shook her head confusedly. "Right. Yes. Sounds…threatening." She realized that she was frowning. Usually, at times like this, she actually had Regina around (ironically perhaps) to tell her what the hell was going on.

"I'll alert our Sheriff," Emma decided. "I'll have her look into this scheme."

"Oh, yes, all right then." Sidney appeared to be waiting for something that would never come.

He leaned forward and Emma jumped back. He didn't look surprised, just resigned, and coughed to cover his embarrassment. "Well then, Mayor Mills. I'll leave you to your workday."

"Sure. Ok." Emma grimaced as a sharp pain arced from her ankle to her Achilles. Fucking heels. It was time to see Regina and figure out what the hell had happened. Emma rationally knew magic was back and Regina inhabited it, but she had really yet to see it's effects. What had Regina been up to? Did she plan to switch their bodies and do something with Emma's?

First, though, Emma realized that she had to pee. Her eyes widened at the thought. She had to…well, Regina had to…and then what? Was Emma supposed to keep her eyes closed the whole time? She'd have to try. Emma wasn't sure that she was ready to deal with the implications of looking at Regina's vagina, (much less, watching her pee.)

The biggest problem, as it turned out, were all of the layers that Regina had on. Some kind of tight body-hugging hosiery was fucking difficult to tear down. Regina's shirt was really easily wrinkled and Emma had to be careful with that as well. If this was some kind of sick joke for Emma that Regina had cooked up, it wasn't funny.

Emma just tried her best to look at the ceiling and then not to look at the mirror across from her when she pulled herself back together. It was hard not to notice though—Regina had a pretty rocking body beneath all those layers. As Emma adjusted the blouse buttons—undoing one because it was really way too tight—she felt a jolt as her fingers brushed the sensitive skin just below Regina's throat which, Emma was pretty sure, was called the decolleta...something. Anyway, whatever it was, it was mesmerizing on Regina, and way more sensitive than Emma's own body.

Emma stared and stared, letting her fingertips brush over the area—not as low as Regina's breasts, just above them, then back up her neck again—until, finally, the sound of Regina's phone ringing brought her back to reality.

**Regina:**

"Hello…erm..Mayor's office?"

The sound of Regina's own voice coming from the phone was surreal. She didn't want to hear what she sounded like as Emma, but she took a deep breath and started to yell, finding Emma's lungs worked just fine, "You did this! What the hell were you thinking?"

"Me? I don't know what is going on here. You're the one with magic!"

"Do you really think I'd wish to switch bodies with _you_? You-me—we… need to stay calm and figure this out, and under no circumstances let anyone know what has happened. We need to switch back before the meeting with the DA regarding the Broadsword carrying permits- I will not have you making a fool of me," Regina clutched the phone and the stiff denim of Emma's jeans in her hands as she stuffed her legs into them and struggled to pull them up. Fucking jeans.

"Until we figure this out, what am I supposed to do?" Emma asked completely uncertain, running a finger absently over the shallow indent of the scar above Regina's lip.

"Do not take any meetings, do not eat any of your precious processed foods, and do not masturbate while you're inside my body," Regina ran down the basics, opting to omit the part about her heart full of magic, hoping Emma wouldn't discover it.

"Are you sure about the no masturbating thing, because you feel really pent up like grrr… seriously how do you stand it?" Emma rubbed her pantyhose thighs together on cue.

"Ms. Swan, don't! I will be over as soon as I can and we must get this sorted out, but until then—"

A quick knock and then the door swinging open interrupted Regina mid rant, Snow White was standing in front of her holding out two cups of coffee. Regina dropped the phone and covered her chest in embarrassment. Although, there was no reason to be embarrassed, after all it wasn't her body actually on display.

"Oh, Emma who are you talking to? Are you upset?" Snow asked handing Regina a cup of coffee so sugared and creamed it looked as white as driven _snow_.

"Thank you, I'm _totally_ fine," Regina spit through clenched teeth, trying her best to sound Emma-like, but failing miserably.

"I heard you yelling…is it something with Regina again? You know Em; you can't let her get under your skin. Now, come on, drink your coffee. You're going to be late for work again if you don't hurry and get dressed," Snow brushed back a strand of Emma's drying hair behind her ear in a gesture of motherly affection, and Regina flinched at the touch.

**Emma: **

The day to day bullshit of being Mayor was difficult at times. Emma needed extra incentive to get through reading the pile of paperwork on Regina's desk so she asked Regina's secretary for coffee and ended up with a triple espresso macchiato thingy which was way too strong. She snuck copious amounts of sugar and cream into it while chatting with the secretary about her weekend which—apparently—was not something Regina ever did. As a result, the poor woman looked on the verge of a panic attack by the time Emma strolled casually back into the Mayor's office.

Then, before Emma could come up with any excuse to leave work early, she was phoned by an irate and panicked town council member. They had to have an emergency closed session in council chambers immediately. Emma had no time to call Regina before she found herself rushing to the meeting, her panicked secretary trailing behind with stacks of forms.

Emma sat uncomfortably before a room full of chattering, frustrated people. She desperately wanted to get stoned before this bullshit, but remembered that she gave that up when Henry showed up on her doorstep…although, in Regina's body maybe it wouldn't really be Emma getting stoned. No, Regina would kill her—herself? Straight up murder/suicide in one. Dammit.

She needed a clear head anyway for this meeting. Her strategy, Emma realized, would have to be to let others think that they are incompetent for not figuring out any of the answers for themselves. Emma wracked her brain for more Regina'isms. One good one: ask for everything to be completed five minutes ago, and when inevitable failure reared its head; make damned sure that everyone blamed themselves and never her.

The problem ended up being really sort of minor. They needed a law to deal with skateboarders. Council members wanted to ban skateboarding but Emma decided to pitch an idea instead.

"A park, dedicated to keeping these youth off of our pristine streets." Emma smiled her best ever devilish smirk. "How would council have us complete such a project?"

The room fell silent. They had all been fine with Emma—Regina!—telling them what to do, but asking them for further advice…

Suddenly, the chatter began anew. This time, people seemed excited instead of needlessly stressed out.

Emma realized, all at once, that people wanted Regina in power because they wanted to deny their own ability to make decisions, to think things through, and to take on responsibility.

After an hour of animated conversation—in which someone even broke out a bunch of gigantic 'post-its' to stick on the walls and brainstorm with—it was time to put the project planning aside. By the end of the meeting, they are looking at Emma—Regina—with genuine loyalty rather than just fear.

Emma returned to the office to find that Regina—posing, of course, as the Sheriff—had left ten messages for her.

"Sheriff Swan requests your immediate attention to a matter involving…" the secretary blushed and stammered, "…your incompetency with respect to our town's garbage situation."

Emma fought laughter and straightened her shoulders. "How dare she." Emma scoffed. "I'll take care of this insubordination at once." She snickered to herself as she wheeled about and rushed from the office.

**Regina**

Regina couldn't get out of Snow White's happy little house fast enough. She found her movement restricted by the insufferable jeans she was forced to wear. There was no way she'd be caught dead in that red jacket even if she was freezing cold.

Unable to drink the concoction that passed for Emma's coffee, Regina headed straight to Granny's. Emma also seemed to have a ravenous appetite. As soon as she got something to eat she'd head straight to the Mayor's office and figure out how to end this horrible situation.

She strode through the door, banging it too hard against the frame, unaware of Emma's strength. She must work out.

Ruby greeted her immediately with a warm genuine smile, "The usual for my favorite Lemur this morning?"

_What the hell is a Lemur?_ Regina thought, but she declined to comment as she focused on sounding 'Emma', seeing that Ruby was already headed to the donut case.

"No, not the usual, God no. Coffee…actually, triple macchiato latte-and a bowl of oatmeal."

"Okay, do you want the baby, mama, or papa sized bowl of oatmeal?"

"Papa, with diced apples, and a pinch of cinnamon."

"Whoa, that's a walk in the jungle, way to mix it up, Emma. Sounds like Regina's typical order. Are you two getting along any better than last time we talked?"

Regina was surprised, and felt the overwhelming urge to shut the conversation down, "I am in a hurry, Ms.-_Ruby_...so if you can step on it."

She placed her hands on her hips, squeezing in wonder when her fingers skimmed Emma's well sculpted Adonis belt. Losing herself for a moment she peered over her shoulder to check out Emma's ass. Maybe there was something to these jeans after all.

"Okay, Emma, let me get your coffee," Ruby replied snottily, as a flash of hurt washed over her face.

No sooner had Regina gotten her oatmeal, when Emma's phone started to ring jarring Regina as the Clash's version of "I Fought the Law" sounded from her pocket. She looked at the caller ID for a good three rings before answering. She'd have to change that ringtone to "Fuck the Police" just for fun.

The fretful voice on the other end of the line was rambling about sheep jumping the fence, and needing the Sheriff to come out and help wrangle them.

"This is not of concern to the Sheriff's department. Call animal control," Regina replied once she had a grasp of what the call was about.

Apparently, the city had cut the animal control budget, and now all matters of livestock were under the Sheriff's jurisdiction. Well, that came back to bite her in the ass.

She produced Emma's wallet to pay for her breakfast and found only three crumpled dollars. Her bill was $5.95. She searched for a debit card, but all that was in the abused wallet was a subway punch card, (two shy of a free six inch) and a battered copy of Henry's school picture.

Regina sighed heavily; still getting used to the sensation of the way Emma's body felt when she breathed deeply, "Ruby? I seem to be a little short. Can I pay later?"

"You said that yesterday. Still haven't found your debit card yet?" Ruby quirked her eyebrows, but Regina smiled in what she hoped was an endearing way, and shrugged.

"You know what a scatterbrained idiot I am. Gotta go," Regina took off toward the station. The hideous bug was parked downtown Regina noticed on her way. She wouldn't drive that unless she had no other option. She'd take the Sheriff's cruiser.

The patrol car was double the size of her Benz-(the only car she had ever driven), and she cautiously backed out of the parking spot, accidently turning on the sirens in her rush to get out to the rural populace of Storybrooke: the peasants, that as Mayor, she avoided interacting with at all costs.

An hour later, covered in sheep shit, and one baaing black sheep back in his pen safe from the stupid wolf the little neighbor boy kept crying about, Ms. Peep was satisfied.

Regina raced back to town. Now she was hot, aggravated and smelly, and there no telling what kind of mess Emma was making of her town. Unchecked power can do that to you. She began to dial her secretary, leaving frantic messages for the mayor to meet her to discuss the town garbage problem she lied, as she caught another whiff of sheep stench.

She was, however, grateful that Emma's body had been so agile and fast as she chased the stupid sheep around the pasture. She screeched to a halt in front of the designated shoe shop and jumped out of the car, frowning as she saw her Benz crookedly parked on the corner.

She stopped abruptly at the sight of herself, in her car her, seat reclined like she was just relaxing casually. Emma looked up giving her a cool glare like she had been practicing it. Regina practically had a patent on that look, and now Emma was using it against _her_. She shivered at the sight, as it all became more real. She longed for her own body, the fabric of her clothes, even the way her teeth fit together in her mouth. Emma's body was nice; she would admit... however, she enjoyed admiring it from afar. Hopefully, she could instruct Emma on how to reverse the spell and put this behind them. Maybe laugh about it someday…

**Emma**

Back in Regina's car—which really was an awesome ride—Emma decided to check out the song choices for her roll through town.

The first picks on Regina's cd were hilarious. Emma listened, baffled, to some mash up of Lady Gaga and Evanescence. Then she cracked up when Lil Wayne sang some song about missing some woman's pussy.

When she met Regina, the initial shock of seeing herself from afar, was offset by the amusement she still felt over listening to Flo-Rida in Regina's car.

"What the hell did you do to me?" Emma asked passively as Regina sulked closer and she took in her disheveled appearance, "and by the way nice selection of tunes."

Emma cranked the volume and smiled wickedly.

_You spin my head right round, right round, when you go down, when you go down, down_

"I was out doing your horrible job! For God's sake, will, you turn that off?! I never leave this town, and music is an escape, Em-ma…" Regina had a new habit of saying 'Emma' with two very separate syllables. It was weird.

Emma straightened her shoulders, and pouted as she lowered the volume. "Well then, we'll have to rectify that situation…one of these days…Reg-i-na…" Emma arched one eyebrow, totally aware of how intimidating this could be—how authoritative. It worked. Emma chuckled as she followed a far-less confident Regina, who rolled her eyes and slumped away. She was already at home in Emma's body it somehow seemed.

Emma followed Regina to an alleyway between a shoe store and a Laundromat. Since it was still only early afternoon, neither place was busy. The alley was long and blocked slightly by overflowing dumpsters. The women walked behind the dumpsters, certain that they could not be seen from the street.

"Gotta get that taken care of, Mayor Mills." Emma grinned, pointing to the insane numbers of old boxes stacked everywhere.

"We need a better recycling program, why don't you get on that?" Regina replied, equally sarcastic.

"Let's get on with it," Emma replied evenly, then laughed, "Sorry, I've always wanted to say that."

"By the way, where the hell is your badge and gun? I am trying to play your part here, and you're making it extremely difficult!"

"I don't know…probably at the station. Did you even look?" Emma growled in Regina's voice. She was going to lecture her on a stupid gun she had never once had the chance to use, after Emma just spent her morning playing good little mayor with the city council. Regina and her power were at Emma's mercy. Emma was about to say something, but decided to drop it and focus on what Regina was trying to say.

You…me…I," Regina licked her lips in frustration and furrowed her brow.

_Is that how I really look when I lick my lips like that?_ Emma wondered as she looked her body up and down. It was definitely her body, but she could tell Regina inhabited it from the use of mannerisms she favored: the way she gestured with her hands and stuck her face forward. It was creepy, but kinda cool.

"Are you listening or shall I go slower for you?" Regina repeated in annoyance, knocking Emma out of her daze.

"Huh, what now?"

"You have my magic. Now, I admit I was trying something maybe that I shouldn't have, but you are the one who was being completely inappropriate and caused us to be in unholy predicament," Regina was getting worked up, her anger flaring. It felt hotter and wider in Emma's chest than in her own where it was a concentrated sensation like a stabbing hot poker or pointy jabby stick prick.

"That sounds like blaming, not helping. And what I do in the privacy of my shower stays in the shower. How was I supposed to know that you'd be fucking around with some magical shit this morning? What were you trying to do anyway?" Emma kept asking questions and increasing the volume of her voice, enjoying the deeper octaves Regina could reach.

"Keep your voice down…It doesn't matter what I was trying to do, right now I am trying to undo what was done! Now if you can focus, we can access my magic and reverse the spell," Regina grabbed Emma's wrist, which was actually her own wrist, and was thrown off kilter yet again by the novelty of the perspective.

Regina reached up and snatched a strand of blonde hair, yelping at the pain, and then plucked one from Emma's brunette head.

"Ouch! This may be your body, but while I'm in it can you not do that?"

"Kindly shut up, Ms. Swan, and give me your hand," Regina held out her own hands, taking a deep calming breath and closing her eyes. Emma put her own hands in Regina's, and Regina brushed her fingers over her ring.

"And give me my ring. I don't trust you with it. You already put a run in my pantyhose I see," Regina's eyes snapped open as she tried to forcibly remove the ring from her finger.

"I don't think so," Emma snatched her hand back. "How will that look if I am suddenly wearing your ring?"

"Fine!..For now. Just focus," Regina reached for her hands again. "Now center in my magic, it's in my heart. Feel it building up and expanding in your chest."

"Holy shit," Emma's mouth fell open at the strange, blissful sensation like a bubble of joy rising through her body. The twin strands of hair in between their hands bound together: twisting and warming with magical energy.

"Think about switching back, stay calm and breathe," Regina grasped Emma's hands tighter an electricity crackling and creating a circuit through their bodies.

All that Emma could see, was a big ball of fire, bursting from her own hands—Regina's hands. Dammit. It was immensely weird, to see herself doing something so frightening.

"Trust me…" Emma heard her own voice from afar as she levitated four inches from the ground. She did sort of trust Regina. This magic thing was her gig. All around them was a twisting light, made seemingly of fire, but not at all hot.

Until…

"What the hell?" Regina shouted in pain as the light emanating from her hands suddenly flared and twisted and burst away from them both. The experience was agonizing, like a burning ghost forced through their bodies. They landed, hard, as the garbage bin filled with shoeboxes burst into explosive flame.

"We're missing some element." Regina surmised, covering her eyes. Before Emma knew it, she had grabbed Regina and pulled her away.

When they recovered from the feeling like their souls had just been on a rollercoaster. They stared dumbly at each other for a moment in frustration.

"You're going to have to tell the shopkeepers something here, Regina…" Emma chattered, rubbing her suddenly cold arms as the owner of the shoe store ran around the corner.

Luckily, the guy was really easy going. He accepted their lame excuse—that they were investigating a series of vandalisms in the area and that some kids must have lit the bin on fire. He even offered Emma a free pair of heels. Emma smiled and thanked him, wishing instead that he could fix the boots that Regina had singed with the stupid spell.

They were able to leave when the fire trucks finally arrived.

"You'll have to make Henry his dinner tonight." Regina said, sounding really tired as they walked together back toward Emma's car.

Emma nodded and shuffled on her heels. "Right um…"

"Top level of the freezer, there is a pasta and chicken dish he usually likes." Regina rubbed her temples and ran her fingers through long blonde hair. It was still really strange for Emma to watch. Emma glanced down at her own hands. They were really pretty. Regina had really nice hands.

"Are you listening Sheriff?" Regina asked quietly.

"yes, sorry, freezer. I'll reheat at ummm…" Emma paused and ran a nervous hand through her hair. Regina's hair. Fuck. It was nice. Regina's hair felt like silk. Emma wondered what kind of expensive shampoo she used.

"Three hundred and fifty degrees, for an hour or until it's molten hot in the middle." Regina stepped closer, looking over Emma's shoulder at Emma's own car. Regina's eyes shifted nervously, "Also, give me my checkbook. I'm hungry, and you appear to have a tab at Granny's that needs to be paid."

"Won't that be a little suspicious if the Sheriff is writing the Mayor's checks?" Emma asked somewhat amused.

"You can have your empty wallet back. Tell me, dear where did you last see your debit card?" Regina mocked her, holding out her hand while Emma reluctantly handed over Regina's black purse. Regina rooted through grabbing some cash and pushed the purse back into her hands.

"Don't worry my _mom_ will have a nice meal ready for you, and it's okay to eat because The Charming's don't poison their food," Emma called over her shoulder as she wandered casually to Regina's car, feeling a bit like a thief as she watched Regina circle her own hunk-of-junk, and she was able to climb into luxurious leather seats. She cranked up the stereo:

_But man I ain't never seen an ass like hers, that pussy in my mouth had me lost for words_.

Listening with appreciation to the bass and subwoofers that Regina had installed, she screeched the tires whizzing past herself as Regina slowly chugged away.

_I told her to back it up like burp burp and make that ass jump like shczerp shczerp_


	2. Chapter 2

**Emma**

On the ride 'home' Emma felt slightly ashamed for a moment, realizing that she couldn't even cook something the kid would like.

Shame gave way to awe when Emma arrived at the mansion and saw Regina's freezer setup consisting of numerous home cooked meals, stacked in labeled dishes, next to frozen berries and a green concoction labeled 'protein shakes'.

Henry burst into the house just as Emma was removing the pasta and chicken from the oven. She grinned at her son as he bounded into the kitchen, but her joy was short lived.

"How was school…" Emma started, only to be interrupted.

"I'm not eating that. It's likely cursed." Henry said matter-of-factly as he entered the kitchen. He poked around in the fridge and took out a chocolate shake and an orange.

"Henry, you have to eat more than that." Emma balked at the kid's choices.

"You can't say anything anymore to me. You never really could." Henry shrugged. "You're not my mom and you're not a good person." He slammed the fridge door. "And I'm moving out as soon as I can, as soon as Emma proves that she can protect me from magic—and then I'll never have to see you again."

"Now wait one minute." Emma felt her hand flutter to her chest before she felt the aching pain that burst beneath her ribcage.

Grief.

She knew this feeling. And it wasn't her grief—it was Regina's. Henry's words brought forth waves of sadness all stored up in Regina's body.

"No. Don't talk to me!" Henry shouted before running upstairs.

Emma could only stare, fighting tears, as Henry shut himself up in his room.

She numbed herself with half a bottle of wine she found corked in the fridge and went about cleaning up after her brief foray into cooking.

Regina's clothes were even more restricting and uncomfortable by day's end. Emma went through the master bedroom's closets and found a pair of cotton slacks with a loose tie around the waist. She also found an entire drawer full of silk camisoles in every color.

Emma was still bummed from her conversation with Henry. She sat on the bed and contemplated undressing and redressing quickly. The thing was: whenever she was really upset nothing helped like a hot bath.

Emma agonized over it. Regina's…body…or whatever, would require a shower anyhow, and what the hell was Emma supposed to do to avoid it?

Half an hour later, after carefully undressing while averting her eyes, Emma lay immersed in the tub with a glass of some really expensive sounding red wine in her hand. The wine had been retrieved from a cellar in the basement. On her way back up to Regina's bedroom, Emma promised herself a tour of the house. It was enormous. She wondered how many rooms it had.

As she drank her wine, Emma ran her tongue over her lips. She kept straying to Regina's scar. The scar was safe territory and also so intimate. Whatever had happened, Regina kept it to herself by hiding the injury in plain sight. No one dared ask. Did she fall off a horse in the old world, or whatever the kids were calling it these days? Emma usually wondered if it was the husband…but no, that would mean that Snow White was wrong about her father's sainthood. Something earlier? Regina's childhood…

Emma explored Regina's nose next. It was really a lovely nose, she had to admit. Bigger than Emma's own nose. Which was cute. Really cute.

What happened next couldn't be helped. Emma had had three glasses of wine by the time she decided to compare breast size. Then, when her hand strayed lower—noting the musculature of Regina's torso and thighs and guessing that a running machine must be hidden somewhere in the mansion—Emma stopped herself to chug a fourth glass.

She got out of the water before things went too far, but the mirror across from her was enormous. Couldn't be avoided.

What also couldn't be avoided were the internal thoughts, telling Emma that she had been wondering about the Mayor's body beneath all those conservative outfits for quite some time. Regina had that whole 'seduction by suggestion' thing down to a fucking art.

Emma threw on the robe as quickly as she could. It was too late. She was going to touch herself later, in bed, and she was going to ignore how wrong that was. How very, very wrong.

First, a tour of the house was in order. Emma took a calming breath and left the bedroom.

There were six bedrooms in all. An extra bathroom just off the kitchen was convenient when Emma had to pee after the wine caught up to her. Another mirror, on the back of the door, made Emma wonder what the fuck was up with all of the mirrors in this place. Mostly, they made Emma think about touching herself in front of them.

Free of charge—Regina porn.

Jesus, what was wrong with her. Emma laughed nervously.

**Regina**

Regina had stalked into the Charming's house and went directly for the bathroom. She had to face the temptation and shame of giving Emma's body a second shower to wash off the sheep nasty. She focused on her anger and despair about being trapped in Emma, combined with the vigorous scrubbing so she didn't have to worry about her eyes or hands straying along Emma's body. After the shower, she went to find something to wear- nothing. Emma's disastrous room was a nightmare. She forced herself to put on a different pair of jeans – which weren't clean either- and a new tank top before joining her "parents" for dinner.

"Emma, are you branching out?" Snow asked sweetly waving her fork in the direction of Regina's plate.

"Hmm?" Regina snapped to attention. She had been so caught up in writing her own tragic story of misplaced poetic justice she hadn't heard the question. Regina: Eating dinner at Snow White's table, being referred to as "daughter." It was fucked up.

"Well, you ate all of your asparagus, which you hate, and haven't touched your meatloaf, which you love. Usually, you'd be on your third chunk by now and drowning it in ketchup," Snow answered, her brow furrowing in that special confused way she had about her.

_Who the hell serves asparagus with meatloaf?_ Regina wanted to ask, but instead she pushed away her plate. Even a few shared sentences over the dinner table brought back memories of Snow as a child and Regina as her step-mother taking their meals in the palace dining hall. She'd been better at faking her affection for Snow then. She never thought she'd be in a position to have to do it again, and she was burned out on the whole charade.

"I'm just going to go to my room," Regina tried to smile with Emma's slightly crooked mouth, even still, it felt false.

"You're not going to watch the season premiere of "Raising Hope" with us tonight? It's all you've been talking about for the past week," Charming asked in a concerned curious way, but to Regina's ears it sounded like he was being accusatory.

"I need to do some laundry," she purposely screeched the legs of the chair against the tile as she stood.

Regina inwardly sneered at the worried look Snow and Charming exchanged as she retreated to Emma's room. Regina refused to wallow in the mess. She gathered up all the clothes in her bedroom, even the ones in the drawers that "claimed" to be clean, and started the laundry with an extra heap of detergent: Generic. Figures.

She vacuumed the area rug, moved the bed to Swiffer and mop, scoured the dust off the mini blinds, and washed the windows. Regina did enjoy cleaning, her head felt clearer when things were in their proper place, but secretly she was using the excuse to search Emma's room. She didn't know why, but she felt a tug of disappointment when she failed to turn up a secret porn or drug stash. She did thankfully manage to unearth Emma's debit card from under a plate that looked to be smeared with rancid dill dip.

After cleaning, she wandered into the bathroom to find Emma's 'beauty' products. What a joke. Aside from an expired tub of Stridex cleansing pads and some Timewise Mary Kay moisturizer that most likely belonged to Snow, there was nothing. The three toothbrushes in the little container by the sink caught her eye. She had no idea which one was Emma's, and even if she was in her body, the thought of brushing with another person's toothbrush just about made her gag. She'd have to get a new one tomorrow, and now that she had her debit card she'd buy Emma some proper clothes. The sound of Snow and Charming's laughter at some sitcom drifting in from the living room set her un-brushed teeth on edge.

Emma only owned 3 pairs of jeans, but she had 57 tank tops, and no pajamas or night clothes of any kind. It just wasn't right. The threadbare zebra print sheets were warm from the dryer and Regina made up the small lumpy bed. Unable to find a more alluring alternative she threw on a clean tank top and a fresh pair of cheap panties.

She tried to get comfortable. Regina was determined that this nightmare body switch would end as soon as possible. She'd simply have to work harder to find a solution, and she was sure Emma would be of no help to their plight. She bashed up the thin unsupportive pillow in frustration. Lying on her back, she stared at the ceiling. She rested her hands on Emma's stomach and let them smooth over it, and then up. Skimming her fingers lightly over her breasts back and forth, she felt her nipples harden beneath the fabric. She lost herself in the feeling, rolling the stiff peaks between her fingers, biting her lip to stifle a moan. She quickly regained her senses and pulled her hands away, willing them down to her sides, as there was no need to entertain _those_ thoughts.

The big blue stiff body pillow Regina had previously thought of as a mere decoration now looked like a comfortable option to rest on. She wrapped her arms around it, placing her head on the edge while puffing blonde hair out of her eyes. It was a little better; she shut her eyes willing sleep to blissfully take her away.

She thought of Henry and wondered how Emma was handling him. She hadn't received any calls from the fire department or the hospital, which was a good sign. She took her small victories where she could get them. Though the thought of Emma touching all of her things made her feel irrationally jealous. She thought about what else Emma was up to, and the rules she had specified about use of her body.

On cue, she felt a nagging burn between her thighs. Emma had an exceptionally high libido. Hadn't she just taken care of this obnoxious need that morning? On impulse, she wrapped her legs around the ridged pillow and rocked her hips forward. The pressure, combined with a nicely textured friction, caused a little ripple of pleasure as her clit rubbed against the seam of her underwear. Another concise wave of goodness rewarded her effort, and she rocked forward again and again, squeezing her legs tighter pulling the pillow against her center. She was amazed to feel a building telltale pressure and find she was already close. She reminded herself that she was only doing this for necessary relief, well aware she was breaking her own self-imposed rule. Reaching down to toy with Emma's clit felt too intimate and strange even though she wanted to. She felt a blush color her cheeks as she entertained the erotic thought.

Instead, she slowly rolled over on top of the pillow, propping the edge between her legs to straddle it and humped it wantonly. She gave a few hurried thrusts of her pelvis, grinding down as hard as she could. She rolled her hips in circles along the side of the pillow to increase the pressure on her clit, and in moments she came easily with little effort. She let her body weigh down onto the stiff pillow and uttered a soft contented sigh of guilty relief. It was only just enough of an orgasm to take the edge off, but maybe now she could sleep.

Just then, while she was still ass up and soaking in her light afterglow, Snow knocked on the door. It was a gentle knock, but to Regina it sounded like she was breaking it down with a battering ram.

"Emma?"

Regina tried to pretend to be asleep, arranging the covers over her, but Snow just came in anyway. This was wrong: a 29 year old woman getting tucked in by her mother. Emma needed to get a life and move out before she turned 30 and started living in the basement.

"Tired," Regina mumbled, turning her face against the pillow.

"I just brought you your nighttime cocoa, and thought maybe you'd want to share how your day went? I heard about the incident with the fire and Regina. Do you want to talk about her tonight?" Snow sat on the edge of the bed and began to rub circles on Emma's back. Regina had a fight or flight like response to the touch.

"No, tomorrow perhaps?" She wondered exactly how much time Emma spent talking to Snow about her and her plot for control over Henry. What did Snow think she knew of her and Emma's rocky relationship? Probably nothing.

"Okay, goodnight. I love you, Emma and I'm so glad you came back to me," Snow leaned forward and pressed her lips to Regina's forehead. She couldn't remember the last time someone had bestowed such a simple but sweet gesture of affection on her. She felt conflicted.

"Your room is so clean," Snow commented looking around in amazement on her way out.

When Snow left, Regina got up, and turned on the light. She felt the need to check on Emma and her body. She dialed her home number from Emma's phone without bothering to scroll through and see what creative label she had come up with for it.

**Emma:**

She turned out the lights downstairs and double-checked the doors. Once she got into bed, her curiosity took new turns.

Taking off her robe was erotic enough. The feel of the billion-thread-count sheets against Regina's bare ass was almost over the top. Emma took a deep breath and let her hands wander again.

Touching another woman's pussy for the first time was really interesting. Pussy. The word jumped into Emma's mind. Had she ever used such a term for her own anatomy? Had she even given this much thought to her own body? What did Regina call this awesome mess of ridges and soft mounds and slick hardening flesh? Emma stroked up and down the shaft of Regina's clit. Slightly smaller than her own and without the lean to the right that Emma's had. Wow. Her nipples were hard and the sheets were nice on those as well. And the nerves around Regina's opening were alight with sensation. Emma wasn't used to this.

She started to breathe harder and harder. Her heels dug into the bed as her fingers slipped around and discovered the sensitive place just on the left of Regina's clit. When she stroked there again and again, her eyes rolled back in her head.

Her orgasm was deep and intense, not like the short and quick kind that Emma usually enjoyed. No wonder Regina avoided this, this intensity, this intimacy with the whole fucking universe. Regina also got really, really wet, which was different or, maybe, just something that one experienced when sex wasn't so fast and routine.

Emma stopped touching herself…stopped touching Regina…after two orgasms. She flopped onto her side, upset for some unknown reason, and fell into an uneasy sleep.

The phone woke Emma from a dream. She was disoriented when she leapt out of bed. Emma ran for the phone in the hallway, thinking that something must be wrong with Henry. She swore as she stubbed her toe against the side of the door.

She took the portable back to bed with her and whispered. "Hello?"

"Em…Regina…I mean…" It was her own voice. Emma remembered. She wasn't in her own body.

"How are things?" Regina asked quietly on the other end. "I mean, you know…" She was obviously trying to sound just like Emma. Snow must be hovering nearby.

"Things are fine. I was just asleep. Ummm….Henry is fine. He was kind of—in a mood…"

"What kind of mood?" Regina sounded worried.

"Nothing just…ummm…so, dinner, right, dinner…" Emma hesitated.

"Oh please tell me he ate something." Regina already sounded defeated before her question could be answered.

Emma smoothed her hands over her stomach and then patted herself there. It seemed to have an oddly soothing affect. She did it again and smiled. "Ummm…no. He didn't eat what I made him—what you made him, I mean. He was actually kind of a…well, a jerk…"

Regina didn't say anything for a long time. Emma couldn't help but burst out, in the midst of their silence, with what she really thought.

"I mean Regina, he shouldn't talk to you like that!" Emma found herself experiencing a twinge of anger. "He shouldn't speak to anybody like that, but especially his mother…"

"So now I'm his mother?" Regina asked calmly.

Emma closed her eyes tightly, wishing to be in her own body, knowing that the ache in her chest was not something she could fix.

"What is your plan?" Emma asked after a minute had passed.

"We'll meet tomorrow. By the water," Regina replied. "Near Henry's old play structure."

**Regina**

Regina slept right through her phone alarm. She had never overslept, finding she had much more trouble falling asleep than waking up. She woke up dazed and panicked to Snow's harping voice calling for her to get a move on.

She realized she was still in Emma's body and her heart sunk. Trapped. She didn't really care much about the time. How could she? If there was an urgent matter to be dealt with, someone would be sure to call. What was she going to do anyway without so much as the badge and she didn't even know how to shoot a gun?

She still had time before she had to meet Emma. She might make her wait anyway out of spite. She wanted a bath. A nice hot soak might relieve her tension. She got a fresh towel and went into the bathroom, ignoring Snow's flapping jaw as she brushed past her in the hallway.

She filled up the bath with water, and took off Emma's panties and tank. She'd never get used to undressing the other woman's body, but she was getting slightly more comfortable with it. If she was going to be trapped in her, she might as well make her up as she saw fit. She let herself look in the mirror: Emma's carpet was quite shaggy, which was definitely not to Regina's preference. She contemplated briefly using Charming's electric razor, but knew that would tangle and hurt her sensitive regions. She looked around the bathroom cabinets finally coming up with a hand mirror, a little pair of scissors, and a pack of disposable razors. She searched for shave gel: apricot scent. Yuck. It would have to do.

It was kind of fun tying up Emma's long thick hair in a bun. Regina hadn't had the chance to style long hair since the old days. She admired her work in the mirror, and sunk into the hot water just relaxing; trying not to think or worry for a moment. She smirked as she thought about what Emma would think when she got back into her body to find Regina had done some…trimming.

She threw one leg over the edge of the tub and slid down, pushing her hips out and the hand mirror in front with her left hand. Her eyes widened as she took the first glimpse of Emma's pussy. Her heart beat faster in excitement and a little shame as she slipped her fingers down and revealing different views. She took the little scissors and trimmed the hair short, and lathered gel around the whole area. She took the sharp razor and shaved her precisely.

"Emma, I'm leaving!" Snow startled her and almost caused the razor to slip. She didn't want to deal with any gashes especially down there.

"Okay, go!" Regina growled. She was not staying in this house another night.

**Emma:**

Morning in Regina's body was even more of a revelation than the night had been. Regina's alarm was the sound of birds singing, starting out really quiet but getting louder as Emma slowly emerged from her sleepy state. No obnoxious beeping or angry shouting or pounding on the door…

…and Regina's clothes! Nicer even than the sheets had been (though Emma let herself roll around in those for a while.) She showered quickly and threw on a robe. Emma wanted to choose her outfit carefully—sticking to neutral colors and simple ensembles. She realized she wanted to impress Regina with her dress up choices. She wanted her approval, which she definitely would lose if Regina found out where she had been exploring her the night before. What if she could tell somehow? Emma thought in paranoia.

Emma opened the door to listen for Henry, and was about to throw her outfit on when she looked down at the label.

"Holy shit!" She knew this designer and also knew that his blouses must have cost Regina thousands of dollars.

She heard Henry's footsteps before she heard his voice.

"Mom? Why are you swearing at your clothes? And since when do you swear?" He called out from the doorway.

"Oh, hey ki…Henry. Hello Henry." It took a second but Emma did her best to fall into character. "I was just realizing that I do not have nearly enough from Michael Kors Spring collection."

"Whaaaatever." Henry glared at her suspiciously. "And did you almost call me…"

Emma put on her best 'I'm the biggest beotch in town' face.

It sort of worked. Henry still looked suspicious but he left Emma alone.

She closed the bedroom door and did her best to dress the part of Regina Mills, Uptight-Mayor. Whatever. Fuck it. Emma couldn't even put on tights without ripping them.

Makeup was another problem. Even when Emma managed to get on a pair of _hosiery, _she couldn't mimic Regina's other routines. There were eyebrow tweezers to deal with also. Emma had already noticed in the shower, that Regina's legs were still smooth. She guessed that Regina used waxing services somewhere in town. After exploring Regina's vajayjay the night before, Emma was convinced that the waxing-technician trusted with Regina's legs was trusted with other parts as well. Emma hoped they would be switched before anything really messed up had to be done. God, she had never given so much thought to body beautification and maintenance.

"Godfuckingdammit," Emma hissed and threw away the eyebrow tweezers when she tried to pluck something. Regina would have to deal with unkempt eyebrows when she got her body back.

"Whoopdy-shit." Emma muttered, rolling her eyes in the mirror. She managed the eyeliner and dark mascara just fine. Regina's cream foundation was easy enough to apply, and they even had the same powder foundation stuff…

Nope—they didn't. Emma realized that the tone was completely different from her own. Huh. She hadn't quite realized that before—where was Regina from, originally…Emma wanted to ask, but had immediate problems in need of solving.

Emma remembered looking at Regina up close one day, after some town meeting, and seeing a kind of silver'ish glint above her eyelids. There was one powder that looked a bit different than the others. She tried to apply this to her eyes in the same way it appeared on Regina, but the effect was slightly off.

She could pass though. She looked like a soft drag version of Regina. It would have to do for now. Her phone rang on the way to town, the caller ID said it was "S-dawg":

"Hello?"

"Madam Mayor?" Sidney sounded conspiratorial and nervous, which was never a good sign.

"Uh, yeah?"

"You told me to alert you at once if this ever happened. The Sheriff has just been spotted in close proximity to your tree. She might be planning to cut it down again."

"Okay, well, does she have a chainsaw or something?"

"No..she seems to be watering it and now she's picking apples. I think she's um talking to it? But she could-"

"It's okay, I'm not worried."

**Regina: **

Regina debated whether stopping by to check her tree was a good idea, but she needed her apples, and no one else was going to take care of it. She certainly wouldn't be asking Emma to tend to her precious.

Just a quick stop. Just a little visit. Her tree was like her baby, and she had embarrassingly started talking to it as such ever since she couldn't be that way with Henry anymore.

She unfurled the hose and got her little basket she kept in the gardening shed. She picked a few apples, "Good tree; such a beautiful tree. I know you're probably scared of how I look, but don't be, it's me: your _mommy."_

**Emma:**

_girl you are a beauty ,well I am a beast, they must have been trippin' to let me off the leash, _

_I like the way you grind with that booty on me_

Emma stopped at Granny's on her way to meet Regina. She smiled brightly when she took in the familiar sights and sounds of the place. She was in a good mood, until the diner fell silent upon her arrival.

"Ummm…I'll have one black coffee, and one with cream and sugar. However Em…ummm…Sheriff Swan, usually takes her."

"Are you meeting with the Sheriff today Mayor Mills?" Granny asked. She was sort of cold. It made Emma sad. Emma nodded as a result and didn't bother making small talk while her order was filled.

"Have a nice day." Emma said quietly, her eyes glued to the floor as she walked out. She missed the shocked look exchanged between Granny and Ruby.

She reentered Regina's Mercedes, and wasn't paying close attention as she turned the key and cranked the volume.

_Gaga in the room, so starstruck,__Cherry cherry cherry cherry, boom boom_

The clutch was a lot more sensitive than the one in her bug and she killed the engine once before looking around in embarrassment and restarting it before peeling out. The folks in Granny's looked on from the window in shock.

___Rollin' up to the club on the weekend, __Stylin' out to the beat that you're freakin'_

_Fantasize on the track that you're tweakin',__Blow my heart up…._

When Emma arrived at the windy hill where Henry's wooden castle had once stood, she was all prepared to be super nice to Regina. She figured that it must get pretty lonely to have absolutely no friends in town, other than Sidney who was a skeevy pain in the ass.

Regina took her coffee without so much as a thank-you, and looked her over, "My hair! What did you do to it?"

"Um..I was going for your flicky look," Emma said, self-consciously smoothing a strand away.

"Well, you failed, I look…flat. Come here," Regina beckoned Emma towards her and started to tousle her hair, trying to make it look presentable. The wind didn't help, and Regina gave up.

"Sorry..I tried," Emma muttered as Regina shook her head, and started rambling on and on about work right away.

"We don't have time to work on switching back. You have to meet with the District Attorney, Albert Spencer, also known as King George, today. As in immediately." Regina took a swig of coffee and sighed almost contentedly, "I saw them all skulking around the library this morning on my way here."

"Oh. Ok. Well. He wants to carry swords around all day, is that the issue?" Emma stood awkwardly next to Regina, feeling really out of place in her clothes and also feeling really cold. It was windy. As always. She tried to sidle closer to Regina without anybody being the wiser.

Regina turned and scowled at her. It was bizarre, being scowled at by oneself. Emma took note of it even as Regina babbled on.

"Be very careful, Ms. Swan. This isn't just about embarrassing me. Those permits will allow the former Kings to arm all of their previous guards. My own Honor Guard has been missing for months. I want the permits to be delayed—at least for a month, while I…" she stopped.

Emma scowled now. "While you _what_? Carve a wooden sword for yourself? Master more magic? Bring Henry to the shooting range? Do we even have a shooting range?" Her jaw clicked when she clenched it suddenly. Emma massaged her cheek with the tips of her fingers. Regina obviously clenched her jaw and ground her teeth in the night.

"Just—trust me. Ok? And choose your loyalties well, if the subject of Kings other than George arises. Our D.A. is James' adoptive father—he hates Snow White as a result, so don't talk about her at all. Kathryn—Abigail—is the daughter of King Midas. She hates him and is utterly loyal to James and Snow. And Belle's father is a small-time leader whose main selling point for us, is that he hates Rumplestiltskin even more than we do." Regina paused. "Come to think of it, we might have more luck with him than with the rest."

"Do they all get along?" Emma shifted closer, surprised that Regina was allowing it. Regina glanced sideways, where their arms were nearly touching, and whether consciously or not, shifted herself so that she was actually shielding wind from Emma.

"I'm not sure yet." Regina shook her head. "What matters, is what they are all up to. And it isn't good. It also doesn't include me, which makes me very, very nervous."

"What do I call all of them?" Emma hated asking stupid questions, but she wanted to get this whole thing right. It was starting to seem really important.

"Avoid calling them anything. They're all quite angry about the curse, and seem to think that I altered their perceptions of their favorite identities."

"So they like who they are here? That's a problem?" Emma was growing impatient with these assholes and she hadn't even met with the head King Asshole yet.

"It is if who they are here doesn't fit with who they were before," Regina shrugged. She didn't look as if she fucking cared.

Something occurred to Emma almost as an afterthought: Henry.

"Wait, If I have to go to this meeting and defend you all day, then who is going to pick Henry up from school today?"

"I will pick him up, and bring him home after," Regina volunteered, trying to hide the excitement in her voice.

"So you're allowing _me_ to pick up Henry, funny how the tables turn when-" the gloating died on Emma's lips when she felt her own pain swelter just at the mere mention of Henry. The look on her face clearly showed that Regina felt it too.

Regina sighed wearily in Emma's body, blowing her hot coffee-scented breath right in Emma's face, "You should go, Ms. Swan."

Emma scowled and leaned closer, "I brought you coffee. Let me drink mine in peace."

"No time. Now…shoo." Regina's eyes shone as she waved Emma away.

"Was that a joke? Omigod! What a funny, funny little imp you are!" Emma grumbled as she turned, but not before seeing Regina roll her eyes.

"Be careful, Ms. Swan," Emma lowered her voice and did her best to act the part of 'Threatening Regina'. It would have worked had she not started snickering.

"Giggling? Excellent. Please, do bring that adorable personality to your meeting today." Regina was trying to be a jerk but she was still in Emma's body, and somehow it just didn't fit.

Emma laughed harder, all the way back to Regina's car. Once inside, though, her nerves got the better of her. She drove slowly back to town.

_Hummers and all that fully loaded with two ballers,__What do you call that when you're shawty with two daughters?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Regina**

The Sheriff's station was old; the pipes creaked. It was cold and not in the sleek, minimalist way Regina preferred. She looked up and noted that the ceiling tiles were stained from water damage. Her town was aging. She flitted through the piles of paperwork: permits and eviction notices. Maybe this was enough stimulation for Ms. Swan's smaller mind, but not for Regina. The quiet was maddening, and Regina wished she had her music. What she wouldn't give for some Pitbull right about now.

She should be at that meeting where her fate could be at stake. Instead, she was trusting Emma with her legacy. Regina rifled through the desk drawers, and paused when she saw Emma's gun and badge. She pulled out the gun, and examined it. It was heavier than she imagined, colder still. She held it up, pointing it toward the empty jail cells. She hated the stillness and control needed in wielding a gun. It went directly against her magic training, which was all flourish and flick. She sighed and placed the gun on the desk, sitting it next to the Sheriff's badge. What if this role was hers permanently? She knew that she wouldn't be putting up with this office décor if she was stuck here. She'd have to call Drizila and get it updated. Regina twirled absently back and forth in the chair. She tried to think of more ways to switch back, but without her magic to draw upon, her mind was blank. Maybe she was actually becoming Emma?

She grabbed an annoying stray piece of thread off of Emma's ratty shirt, yanking it until it broke. It wasn't just the shirt, Regina decided with a sneer; Emma's skin felt ratty and unnerving. She didn't notice it so much when she was active, but just sitting here alone- well, alone with Emma's body, felt like trying to constantly write with your non-dominant hand.

This wouldn't do. Regina needed to treat herself. She reached into Emma's pocket and produced her debit card. Regina lightly ran her finger over the raised letters of Emma's name on the front of the plastic. There was only one thing that would make her feel better: shopping.

**Emma**

When Emma got to Regina's office, her secretary told her in a timid fashion that the meeting had been postponed until later. Emma dragged her feet and sulked all the way into the office and sat down heavily in the chair. She twirled around and waited.

An hour into staring out Regina's big stupid window, Emma decided to play around with the stuff in Regina's desk. There were paperclips of different colors which, if laced together properly, could make a big gay rainbow design. There were also paperclip holders that she could throw the big rainbow at. If she stuck the whole thing in a big twirl, then she awarded herself ten points. She never did that. So instead, she measured off distances on the floor and awarded herself points based on how far she could hit the magnetic container with individual paperclips.

Then she found something funny on the mantelpiece of the fireplace. Some interior design company: 'Woodland Creations and Modern Design'.

Huh.

Emma decided to call them and fuck around even more with Regina's office.

Twenty minutes later, a frantic woman in a dark purple dress was in front of Emma, looking seriously terrified.

"Beanbags?" The woman squeaked. Her name was Drizila. It sounded oddly familiar to Emma but she couldn't place it.

**Regina**

Regina burst through the doors of 'Ezanika' like she always did, and began to peruse the suits and blouses on the mannequins. The effect was instantly calming; she rolled the silky fabrics through her fingers.

"Is there a problem, Sheriff?" Rafael, the boutique owner, asked with a bit of an attitude.

"Hello, Rafael. Show me the designer jeans, please." Rafael was her favorite and usually he was warm and friendly to Regina (probably due to her high credit limit), but from the way he addressed the Sheriff he was clearly snubbing her. Regina didn't like the feeling. This was her territory and she deserved respect.

He cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrow, probably wondering how she knew his name. He stared her down for a moment before turning on his heel and heading toward the back of the store.

"Applebottoms?" Regina was fascinated she had never bought a pair of jeans before. If she was going to pass as Emma she may as well do it with flair.

"Sweet to the core and picked fresh daily. What size?" Rafael looked her over with a look of utter boredom and disinterest.

"Four," Regina replied automatically. Oh, but…that was _her_ size; Emma might be different- her hips were wider than Regina's. What did it matter if they were too tight, really? Emma never seemed to wear her proper size anyway.

"Ahem, I'll grab a six too… just in case," Rafael smirked and led Regina to the dressing room.

After picking out four pairs of size **six** jeans, a new gray suede leather jacket with stylish black buttons, six new Michael Kors blouses and a new pair of leather boots, Rafael totaled her purchase. She happily handed over Emma's debit card.

"Declined," Rafael announced as he crossed his arms and pursed his lips sourly.

The embarrassment Regina felt was incomparable, "What do mean 'declined'?"

"As in there is not enough money in your account to complete the transaction: declined!," Rafael was flat out giving her attitude. Regina felt her cheeks burn. Figures.

Regina mustered up her pride, "Just ring up one pair of jeans, the jacket, the cobalt blue blouse and the boots. See if that goes through."

Rafael continued to look at her as he blindly punched the keys on the register, "Approved…barely."

Regina plucked the card back from his hand, turned up her nose and took her bag of clothes before turning and walking briskly from the store. It was almost time to pick up Henry from school. That would lift her spirits.

**Emma**

"Yes, beanbags," Emma reiterated. "Red leather beanbags. My son will like them." She walked to the far corner of the room and traced a finger over the wallpaper. Woodland Creations Indeed. "I would also like one of those twisty slides, so that we no longer have to walk down the stairs if we don't want to, and I want a high boardwalk or bridge-like structure, so that when I walk from my office, I can float above the rest of the workers here. However, hanging from this bridge, will be monkey bars we can all exercise upon. Also, order me one of those swim spas. But make it fun. And purple. I'd like it to be filled with purple lights."

Drizila wrote it all down dutifully, but Emma was sure she looked on the verge of fainting. Or crying.

So Emma cancelled the bridge and the boardwalk but still demanded the swim spa. She also asked that a wall be taken out, so that she could have her swim in the next office that nobody used anyway.

She called Drizila twenty minutes after the woman left, and asked for a sauna as well. To be installed next to the spa.

**Regina**

Regina circled the school three times in Emma's bug, before deciding to park and wait outside. What would Henry think if he knew that she wasn't _his_ Emma? What if he could tell? She rocked back and forth on Emma's boots, and patted an impatient rhythm out on her stomach. She looked down and a thought so odd and satisfying overwhelmed her.

_She _was Henry's mother. She currently inhabited the body that had nurtured her son from conception to birth. She imagined how it must have felt to carry him, and feel him kick inside. She focused on the feelings in Emma's body. Any physical evidence of her pregnancy had long since disappeared, but she felt a new sense of connection with Henry.

Regina was always reminding Emma that blood relations meant nothing, and simply birthing him didn't make him his true mother, but sometimes she said it only to convince herself.

There would always be a connection between Henry and Emma, one Regina had never been privy to. Until now.

Regina was so caught up in thought, tears slipping from her eyes without realizing, that she missed the sound of the bell.

The force of Henry's open and gob smacking hug almost knocked her over.

"Emma!"

He squealed her name with such joy; his eyes open and giving. She wanted to shake him. She wanted to demand to know why his affection was reserved for Emma and Emma only.

She couldn't bring herself to say one word; she was so caught up in the feel of his hug, and the loving smile on his face trained toward her. She soaked up the affection like a sponge.

**Emma**

Emma prepped for her meeting with Albert—no, King George, right—by downing her coffee in three gulps, making another, drinking it even faster, and then pacing around Regina's office for another twenty minutes.

Her secretary poked into the office with five minutes to go and shooed her into the boardroom. As a result, Emma was seated and waiting, her hands clasped and one eyebrow arched as two—not one—men came walking into the room.

"I took the liberty of inviting …" King George didn't even look at her when he started to introduce the man Emma knew to be Belle's father.

"The florist." Emma interrupted. "Yes, I'm familiar with his arrangements." She actually didn't mind the guy, after helping to keep him safe from 'Mr. Gold'. She couldn't remember what to call him though. Shit. She'd forgotten what was in Regina's notes.

"Cut the shit, _your majesty_." Belle's father was not as nice now that he didn't spend his days thinking only about pretty flowers. His angry retort was cut short when King George placed a calming hand on his arm.

King George turned to Emma with a smile, fanning a pile of identical pages in front of him and handing Emma one copy. "We merely require the protections we once had. Armed guards and the like. I would suggest," he leaned forward, his eyes gleaming, "that you yourself take similar precautions my fair Cousin."

Emma smiled demurely, "Now why do you think I need further protection?" If these jerkasses continued to call each other 'Cousin' like this, she might have to request the return of her gun from Regina. Or, she might order Regina to shoot 'Cousin George' on the fucking spot.

"Time will tell," was his reply.

Trying not to twitch, Emma waited a second and added, "Time…_will _tell, won't it?" She was fucking this up, but it was fun to mess with these guys.

"Yes it will," Belle's father said, leaning forward.

"Oh, I'm _sure _it will," Emma replied quickly, digging her fingers into her leg to keep from laughing.

"Are you playing with us, Cousin?" King George looked suspicious. "Need I remind you, we were on the verge of unifying a Kingdom against your rule? Surely you would lend us some respect, given that we have supported your reign thus far."

Emma had what she needed, so she smiled and sat back again. The words 'thus far' and 'Need I remind you' gave away the obvious. These assholes didn't respect Regina's authority, and it wasn't just because they were pissed about the big bad Curse. "Of course. I'll simply need a bit more time to convince our local Sheriff that such permits will not in any way harm the safety of Storybrooke's residents."

"Our Sheriff is a fool, and she'll be the first to fall when the Charming's are destroyed." King George flipped his tie aside as she leaned back in his chair.

Emma was quiet. She started to say, "Surely you don't…"

But Belle's father interrupted, looking worriedly between the king and queen. "No harm will come to your boy, of course."

King George gave him the side-eye at that statement. "Of course." He drawled, repeating the now confused looking man.

Emma suddenly wished that her gun was by her side. She stared hard at George and added, "Until Henry comes of age, I'm sure."

They stared at each other while the idiot florist stared at the table.

"You don't object to our plans, do you?" King George asked her sweetly. "You do know that we need to protect our boundaries. Your boy will, no doubt, respect them as well. Emma Swan, on the other hand, is already dangerous."

_Already dangerous. _Implying that Henry would be a threat down the line and therefore a liability.

"No, of course not. Where Emma Swan is concerned, I have no interest in…" Emma's voice broke, but she covered it by sipping her water. "I have no interest in her safety," she finished weakly.

The two men broke into laughter. Emma stared at them.

"You care for her, I knew it. You've grown weak, dear Cousin, but I understand," King George sighed melodramatically. "These peasants grow on us, don't they?"

"Well, she is technically royalty and not a peasant at all," Maurice—Emma just remembered his damn name—looked kindly at Regina. Jesus these people were bizarre. "Besides, she is the birth mother of your son. Surely you have some compassion for her plight."

"I've long suspected such a thing to be the case," King George winked at Emma and gathered up his papers. "Fine, we'll stay away from the Sheriff. For now. In the meantime, work on her to get these permits passed quickly. One month, Cousin. With all due respect, of course."

"Of course," Emma replied waving her hand vaguely in the direction of the doors.

She sat alone in the boardroom for a long time after the men had left. She had to warn Regina that these men were no friends of hers, and they were certainly not going to make life easy for Henry. Those assholes had something up their sleeves, and it went beyond some stupid permits. Another part of her worried for her own damned sake. What if Regina had actually been here? Would Emma's life be in danger? Or had they been fishing, knowing that Regina would nix any plan to harm Emma? Did Regina actually care about Emma, or did she just have other games to play, bigger fish to fry.

**Regina**

"Um…Emma, you better take me home; you know mom gets upset if I'm not there right after school?" Henry was eating a sandwich that Regina had made him in Snow's kitchen; she couldn't stop smiling.

"Yes, I don't care. Do you want ice cream?" Regina asked sweetly. She was enjoying Henry's presence and that he was actually speaking to her for a change.

"I'd rather read my new comic book. Do you want to read one with me?" Henry was excited or the prospect. Henry hadn't asked Regina to read to him in over a year. The memory instantly brought up the pain of rejection.

"Yes…that sounds nice," Regina managed to answer without her voice cracking. Henry plodded off to the little hideaway he had at Snows. Regina followed, not bothering to clean up the kitchen. Emma wouldn't.

"Once I get to live here with you, we can do this all the time," Henry bounced up on the bed in the room that was decorated for him. Regina bit back a gasp as a flash flood of anger filled her. Henry looked so damned excited.

"Well, that probably won't happen for a very long time," Regina wanted to shoot down the ridiculous notion and tell him it would never happen, but he looked like he wanted it so badly. She couldn't blow her cover now. Not when she was on the verge of finding out Emma's plan.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: We offer thanks to **giftofamber** for staying up past 1am to help with 'subject verb verb' comma mistakes. Special thanks to **scribes and scrolls** for helping to push this into awesomeland.

**Emma**

It was now evening number two in Regina's body, and Emma felt about as lonely as she had ever felt. After making a mixed cd on Regina's overpriced laptop, reheating burgers from the freezer and slathering every single condiment in Regina's fridge on the meat, she ate dinner alone.

Emma was cleaning up at the sink when a pile of Henry's schoolwork caught her eye. She suddenly wanted Henry home. Why should she have to pay for Regina's mistakes? Emma threw the rag down and stormed outside.

Thankfully, she hadn't started in on Regina's wine yet. Emma was perfectly capable of operating the crazy expensive car. She slipped in the recently made cd and grinned maniacally as 'Sabotage' ripped through the speakers. She felt like she might be acting all crazy, and why not? As the car rolled slowly through the neighborhood, people stared at her like she was a fucking psycho. All Regina had to apparently do was _smile _at people in Storybrooke, and they peed their fucking pants.

_So while you sit back and wonder why I got this fucking thorn in my side_

_Oh my God, it's a mirage I'm tellin' y'all, it's a sabotage_

**Regina**

Regina pulled a chair up next to the bed while Henry searched through his book bag and found an X-men comic, "Aren't you going to sit with me?"

Henry patted the bed beside him and scooted over to make room. Regina took a breath and carefully slid in next to him as if any sudden movement might give away her true identity. As soon as Regina had settled in, relaxing against the headboard, she crossed her legs. Emma's leather boots felt heavy on her feet. Henry snuggled up to her chest. She relaxed then, letting the weight of his head against her bring back sense memories of his young childhood before he had thought her the Evil Queen and distanced himself. She wrapped her arms around him, and exhaled in contentment as she held the comic book so they could both see.

"This one is my favorite!" Henry chortled as his small hand landed on top of 'Emma's' to flip the pages. Regina studied her hand until Henry drew her attention back to the comic. She started to read in a mock Cajun accent:

"De name's Gambit! Don't you fo'get it! This is why I left Nawlins in the first place. I don't wanna be a part of this family no more."

Henry's eyes widened and he turned to stare at 'Emma,' "You're doing the voices? You said you didn't do voices…"

Regina licked her lips nervously and shrugged, pulling Henry closer, "Oh, I guess I wanted to try."

"You did it just like mom…I mean back when she used to read to me," Henry hunched his shoulders, and Regina felt his body stiffen just a bit at her mention.

Regina couldn't take it anymore, "Do you really hate her that much?"

"She's evil," Henry said flippantly. His standard response.

"And how does she treat you that has you convinced she's so evil?" Regina asked, blood rushing in her ears, voice desperate as she feared his answer.

"She…" Henry faltered, looking puzzled, "She just is, and besides I like you better. Have you talked to Mr. Gold- I mean Rumplestiltskin-anymore about the deal?"

It was Regina's turn to falter; her tongue felt thick, "The deal?"

"Yeah, you know about how my adoption was all fake? I want to live here," Henry whined, "You don't know what she's like!"

"I **do** know what she's like," Regina felt tears prickle in Emma's eyes. Her cheeks got so warm and flushed when she was upset. Regina was unversed in handling Emma's emotions; she couldn't extinguish them and stomp them out like she could in her own body. It hurt.

Their discussion was interrupted by the sound of screeching tires and blasting music coming from the driveway. Regina stood up and raced to the window looking out as 'Regina' barreled up the walk screaming, "Henry!"

"I told you she was going to be mad! Mom always wants me home before dinner," Henry whined fearfully, holding onto 'Emma's' hand. Regina paused in thought. Was this how Henry really thought of her: as his jailer? She didn't have long to contemplate this thought, because 'Regina' had banged open the front door and walked inside like she owned the place. Obviously, Emma was comfortable coming and going as she pleased from her own house, but as Regina she was quite unwelcome in their home.

"She's mad! She's using magic again!" Henry squealed and hugged 'Emma' around the waist, burrowing his face into her side. Regina took off toward the noise to try and put a damper on the commotion that Emma was causing in the kitchen: The lights flickered, the microwave turned on and off, and the tea kettle whistled as water boiled inside.

'Regina' looked unhinged and panicked she was bumping around as dishes flew around controlled by magic telekinesis and shattering against the walls.

"What the devil? She's trespassing. Arrest her!" Snow tugged on 'Emma's' arm and pointed at a frantic 'Regina' who was desperately failing to control the surge of magic that had been unleashed.

Regina could barely move with Snow holding one arm and Henry glued to her side, she shook them off, and approached 'Regina' with her palms open as if trying to corner a wild animal.

"Em—um, Regina…" Regina tried to quickly think of what Emma would say in this situation, "Calm you tits…dear!" (Emma had actually told Regina to calm her tits before in one of their arguments.)

"**You** are not going to arrest **me**!" 'Regina' growled but the tone sounded indignant. Emma closed her eyes and stilled her movement, trying to get a handle on her emotions. She felt herself lift off the ground for a moment and then flutter back down landing on tottering heels. How did Regina handle these curling, strenuous emotions all of the time?

"Emma was just about to bring Henry home to you; you didn't need to come over here and barge in like you tootin' live here!" Snow crossed her arms in a huff.

Regina felt the hackles stand up on the back of her neck. If Emma wasn't in Regina's body she would revel in the pleasure of arresting her, but Regina was not willing take the blame and incur a criminal offense for Emma's misdeeds.

"We're leaving," 'Emma' decided. "Henry, get your backpack."

"Are you taking Regina to the station for booking?" Charming wandered out looking half asleep; he was wearing just his boxers and holding his sword like a baseball bat, confused by the noise and commotion. He looked back and forth between 'Emma' and 'Regina', and then at the disordered kitchen: flung open cupboard doors and knocked over pots and pans.

'Regina' looked just as dazed, staring in wonder at her tingling hands as she felt the remnants of magic suck back into her heart.

"No, we're going home," 'Emma' wrenched 'Regina' by the arm and marched her outside, calling over her shoulder for Henry.

**Emma**

Emma hadn't had time to hit the wine, but she felt dizzy and drunk from the burst of magic coursing through Regina's body.

To Henry it looked like Emma had just shoved Regina away from the car and into the passenger seat. Henry blinked rapidly between the two women, aghast when 'Emma' spoke up and 'Regina' awkwardly crawled into the car. Before he was able to process the exchange he felt himself pulled protectively onto his 'Regina's' lap. He was completely astounded that 'Emma' was driving his mom's car.

Henry sat up straight, feeling uneasy within 'Regina's' arms. Emma patted his hair and soothed him and in turn soothed herself. She didn't know where this need to touch and hold Henry was coming from...she felt him stiffen in discomfort, his walls closing in, fighting 'Regina's' touch. She hugged him despite his rebellion, needing the comfort like a drug.

_Cause I like booty n tigg ol bittys, I like booty n tigg ol bittys I like…_

'Emma' turned the knob on the radio to silence Pitbull. Henry bit his lip nervously. 'Emma' glared at 'Regina', chastising her, "you could have done serious damage. What were you thinking coming over here?"

"You didn't bring Henry home after school, and I...needed him."

Henry wrestled from her grasp, shifting as far away as he could manage.

"What are we doing?" 'Emma' asked her voice taking on a pitiful deep tone that Henry had never heard before from his birth mother.

They drove in icy silence back to Regina's.

**Regina**

Emma had messed up Regina's car, her son, her body, her magic, her music, and probably her house too.

She looked over at Henry, riding awkwardly on 'Regina's' lap. Emma and she were going to have a word. She gripped the steering wheel tight until her knuckles turned white, driving extra carefully hating that Henry was on loose and not buckled up.

At this point, if Regina had been herself she would turn up her radio and sing along to something loud that would make her feel better. There were few things that did these days. In fact, she'd never felt lower.

**Emma:**

The minute they stepped foot inside the mansion, Regina yanked on Emma's elbow to pull her back from Henry.

"Get yourself together." She whispered close enough to Emma's ear so that Henry wouldn't hear.

"I don't feel great." Emma stated matter-of-factly. "I don't understand what happened back there. And I don't understand Henry…why Henry…"

"We'll talk about this momentarily." Regina finished the conversation and practically ran after Henry as he began to rummage through the kitchen cupboards.

Emma could hear the tap running. She swayed in place until Regina returned with a glass of water and an oddly concerned look on her face. Emma swatted the hand away that tried to feel her forehead.

"I'm just…" Regina huffed and tried again, this time pressing her fingers firmly to Emma's skin. "I'm trying to help. It's my body anyhow."

"It's your what?" Henry's voice carried from the kitchen. He was drinking a glass of chocolate milk and staring at them. "Did you say 'it's my booty?'" He scratched his nose and stared at Emma as she awkwardly tried to make herself at home again in Regina's skin.

"Yes, Henry, Regina has become a pirate." Regina's sarcasm earned a burst of laughter from Emma. It was just really strange to hear her own voice being so short with Henry.

That did it. Henry's eyes really got wide. His moms were not only getting along, but they were sharing a joke—and at his expense!

"Weird," He drew the word out before turning and making his way downstairs. "Can we all watch a movie?" Henry shouted.

**Regina**

The moment of solidarity between them was short lived. Regina had time to think about Emma's and (obviously granny Snow's) plans to wrench Henry away from her. It hit weighed her down like bricks, and she was thinking of all the hateful things she'd like to yell.

The sofa felt like an island. Regina sat at the far end with her arms and legs crossed. Staring blank faced at the movie on the screen. She would try to keep the peace until Henry went to bed. It was lucky they hadn't blown their cover to Henry yet. She could tell he was suspicious of the very fact that 'Emma' was in the house, but now he seemed unconcerned as he became absorbed in his favorite film.

"Mr. Boogedy!" Henry squealed delighted from his spot on the floor as the ugly green ghost jumped out and scared people. The movie was not on Regina's mind. The fact that she was sitting in her own house, but not in her own body had her reeling. Her thoughts flooded her, as she tried to maintain a peaceful demeanor in Henry's presence. She snuck a peek at her body plopped out at the other end of the couch. 'Regina' was slumped over, palms cradling her chin and frowning at the TV stuffing her face with popcorn that Henry had wanted, but hadn't eaten. Regina would never sit or eat like that.

"So Mr. Boogedy sure thinks he's high and mighty, doesn't he?" Emma mumbled, clenching 'Regina's' jaw and grinding down. She was tired of this pretending, even though she knew it was necessary. Regina's body never felt relaxed, and even the butter on her popcorn tasted too buttery. Was that even possible? Damned Regina's healthy loving taste buds.

"I hardly think you should be commenting on Mr. Boogedy's moral integrity at this point," Regina sassed back, thinking again about Emma's plan to steal Henry from her.

"Shh..come on, this is the best part!" Henry bounced around, his eyes widening at the sight of his mom inhaling popcorn like it was oxygen, kernels rolling down her blazer and bunching in her lap.

"_Hey Mr. Boogedy!" _

"_Errrrrr…heh heh heh…" _

Regina watched with burning disgust as Emma crammed handful after handful of the buttery stuff into _her_ mouth. Henry finally fell asleep before the movie ended and they both got up to carry their tired child to bed.

Once he was put away and tucked in, the Henry truce ended. They reconvened downstairs and the claws came out.

**Emma **

"You set me up!" Emma gritted her teeth, feeling the way Regina's jaw muscles bunched and stung.

Regina stomped her foot, growling in Emma's face, ignoring her pained expression, "How long have you been cultivating a little plot with Gold to take Henry from me once and for all?"

"I wasn't going to take him, Regina, but he obviously wants to be with me- don't you see that?"

"Yes! Of course I see that…**you**-" Regina trailed off, her voice screeching unwillingly as Emma's vocal chords failed to hit the pitch Regina was aiming for.

"**You** were plotting to have me fucking killed by those fucking King wannabes! The permits would have led to some ambush, some random attack. How long were you going to wait, Regina?" Her voice choked, and she felt a surge of incredible, burning betrayal.

Regina wanted her _dead_. Not just asleep or enchanted or fucking cursed, but _dead_. And she had tried repeatedly to make the deed happen. Emma thought her heart—Regina's heart—might shatter at the realization of how little this fucking person felt for her. Emma put her hands on her own shoulders to push her back, she wanted to hit her…but not _her_ face…it was all so fucking horrible and confusing.

_But then… _

Emma felt Regina's response to her words, except they were echoing from within Emma's mind. Regina Laden with regret, Regina begged, "No, I'm sorry, I promise, I didn't…"

Grief. Again, with so much grief.

Emma felt all of Regina's pulsating emotions, beneath layers of so much pain, and such fear. When she sorted through Regina's thoughts, there were flashes of images—Emma's own face, Henry's face, the two of them walking together, the betrayal and agony Regina felt when she saw it and knew…knew…

…that she was going to lose Henry to his 'real' mother.

Something else though; something worse than just realizing that Henry and Emma shared a bond: wanting.

Wanting that bond with Henry?

Yes, but…more.

Knowing that _Emma_ would never forgive her. Would leave. Leave and leave and leave again…and Emma leaving would be the worst thing for Regina possible. Then she it all: Regina's fears, hopes, dreams…Regina's mother in a barn…memories of loneliness so strong she could smell the scent of it. She felt everything Regina had experienced and underneath it all was a slow-burn of sumptuous desire for…Emma?

She stared at Regina-Emma- mouth agape, eyes wide and locked on her own, and then the view shifted and whirled There was a whooshing sound and then no sound at all, and Emma felt the familiar hug of her jeans and the way her hair brushed against her neck, and there was relief, cascading over her, calming her. She was back in her body.

**Regina**

She didn't mean it, she didn't want that…. she just wanted to keep…control of her…Henry. Then she saw what Emma had seen and felt: a childhood filled with waking fear and a hollowness that rivaled her own. Emma's bright glowing love for Henry, she could practically see the golden thread that tethered them together. She even felt Emma's deep vibrant love for Snow White, a sensation that almost brought her to her knees. The pain and ambivalent haze of hate Emma felt toward Regina… and the unbridled lust. Emma had cherished Regina's body…

A flash of gleaming lights tinkled in her field of vision and she was staring at Emma, tears welling unknowingly in her eyes.

She was herself and not herself. It was like a wrecking ball had bashed into her mind and cracked her open. She felt her soul flickering back and forth like a candle flame, as she stumbled forward into her own form.

**Emma**

Something sped by Emma, and she was staring, once again, into her own eyes from Regina's vantage point. Sound returned to the room, along with an echoing, hollow drumbeat in Emma's head.

"I have to go to bed," Emma gasped, her heart thumping hard against her rib cage.

"Wait!" Regina leaned forward, taking Emma's hand. "We switched back! Just then, didn't you see it?"

Emma nodded silently. She clutched Regina's hand for a second before letting it go.

"I know your heart now," Regina stated in amazement, a smile flickering on her lips from the adrenalin rush.

It was incredibly bizarre, for Emma, to see her own eyes staring at her with such empathy—such compassion. It stole Emma's breath for a moment. She wanted to apologize to and forgive Regina more than anything, "Regina, you're so…"

"We just have to get into another screaming match and maybe we'll switch back permanently?" Regina laughed from overflowing energy as she pressed her hand to her forehead. "We'll try again, all right?"

Emma lost her nerve; it was too much to deal with. The one eighty turn of her feelings, all topsy turvy and disoriented was an overload. All Emma wanted were things to make sense. She wanted things to go back to how they used to be. Easy. Black and white.

"In the morning?" Emma asked weakly. "Please. Please, I just need some time. And rest, I need some rest." She didn't want to cry in front of Regina, but dammit, she worried she might.

Regina nodded and slowly made her way to her bedroom absorbed by her confusing thoughts. She paused in the doorway and turned surprised to see Emma had followed her.

"I want to sleep in here," Emma said blinking rapidly and pouting.

"I don't think that's wise…I need some space…to think about what's happened here," Regina spoke in almost an apologetic tone.

"Your bed is plenty big…you could still have space and keep an eye on your body?" Emma tried again to convince her. She just felt like their bodies and minds shouldn't be apart from one another for a moment longer.

"I'm done discussing this. You are welcome to select one of the guest rooms. Goodnight," Regina slammed the door effectively ending the conversation, but unable to shut out the lingering doubt in her mind.

**Regina**

Regina's room was spacious and she enjoyed the comfort of familiarity...until she saw her open dresser drawers, her camisoles spewed out, and her unmade bed. It looked like Emma had been rolling in her sheets!

She willed herself to tamp down her anger and think. She went about putting her room back to order. She always got stuck cleaning up after Emma, but she almost didn't mind Since there was hope. They had switched back...only for a second, but that meant there was a way back for good.

Reversing the spell had not worked, but their shared rage for one another had almost worked...where was the root of this switch? Was it just their minds that switched? She obviously had Emma's brain...was it their souls? Emma had told her once that she had no soul. Oh, to prove her wrong.

Regina lay down in the mess of crumpled sheets, too exhausted to bother changing them. She had experienced Emma's thoughts, her feelings, even her desire. She knew her heart now, and Emma knew hers. A twinge of panic sparked through her, she was so comfortable denying her feelings that to have them pulled from her like a stubborn stray thread hurt. It was, after all, the reason she had concocted the spell to erase Emma in the first place. Denial, out of sight out of mind. Regina almost laughed in pity for her blight: she was ensconced in Emma: fully in sight, wholly in mind. The detail she hid from herself was that she liked it this way.

There were some things she could control still. She needed that control back. She needed to exercise her free will, to make sure she still had some power over her circumstance.

There it was again, that desire: spreading over her body hot and itchy. A rash. God damn, Emma's body was on some sort of preprogrammed sex clock. She would not give in tonight. She could control this...body. Her fingers flexed, she tossed herself onto her stomach feeling restless and unfulfilled. The same as always.

**Emma**

Emma wasn't the best at processing experiences that were out of her control. She had had so many of them in her life that she found it best to take the alcoholic "one day at a time" approach and focus on the small things. She couldn't deal with her own emotions let alone Regina's and she felt herself shut down.

She forced herself to wander back toward the hallway washroom when she realized that she hadn't brushed yet. Regina had, of course, stocked the guest room with a handful of brand new toothbrushes and toothpastes (plural because she apparently thought her guests should choose).

In addition to wondering just when Regina ever had any guests, Emma started to wonder about Regina's general approach to oral care. She had really pretty teeth. Emma poked at them and grimaced in the mirror. No cavities! How had 'Fairytale' land produced teeth whitening _and_ cavity protection? Emma ran her tongue over her teeth and noted as well, the fullness of Regina's lips. They were really pretty also.

Pretty and really kissable.

Emma pursed Regina's lips—they were still sort of Regina's—and pouted in the mirror. She ran her tongue back up and over that scar again and hummed aloud.

Damn. Regina Mills was _hot _as fuck.

**Regina**

The annoying nagging ache between her legs was growing. There was no way she'd be able to sleep with all that going on inside her body. She had felt Emma's desire when they had switched back: hovering in the ether. It was intangible and unrelenting. Regina finally decided to get up and take a cold shower. Perhaps that would calm her enough to rest and forget for a blissful moment.

Her shower felt nice. It had a stronger water pressure than the one at Snow's house, and here she had her body wash and shampoo. Even if Emma had a slightly different hair type she wanted to smell like herself tonight. The water was so warm and….it would be so easy to try that little trick again. Emma's body enjoyed a generous capacity to cum so easily while standing with the shower head between her legs. How lucky for her. No one would know, and it would make her feel so much better….it certainly couldn't hurt.

**Emma**

Exiled to the guest room of her choice, Emma wandered as far from Regina and Henry's part of the house as she could. She chose a room which looked almost like a second master suite. It had carpet, which was unusual, but the cream colored softness beneath her feet was comfortable. The duvet was a dark lush green and the curtains had ivy patterns, which added to the atmosphere. Emma almost felt as though she were out amidst the old growth forest in the area. She sat on the bed and bounced, holding her glass of wine away from her and grinning as it sloshed about. Then she remembered the cream colored carpet and held her damn glass still.

The bathroom had an enormous Claw foot tub, finished with copper on the outside. She undressed quickly and cranked the water while exploring the rest of the room. There wasn't much else to find. Just an empty dresser and a cute little antique table near the window.

Padding around naked in Regina's body was as luxurious as it was completely naughty. Emma smoothed a hand over her hips and then her ass and patted herself there. She didn't care if she looked ridiculous. Fuck Regina. Fuck Regina and fuck…just…Emma searched for the angry words inside her head. She settled on saying "pffft!" aloud and chugging the rest of her wine before realizing that the guest bath had no towels.

She wrapped herself in a sheet and hurriedly ran through the house back to Regina's room. She'd just pop in the bathroom and snag one towel. Regina was probably already asleep…

**Regina**

She took in a shuddering breath, spreading her legs apart; She bent forward and leaned against the glass shower door. Her right hand rotated the wand of the shower head in little circles as she experimented with the directness of the pressure.

"Oh, Fuck…Emma," she breathed as her hand slid down the glass. Emma felt young and tight. She hung her head, tensed her muscles, and held her breath to heighten her pleasure. Emma's body responded so beautifully to each tiny movement or change. She circled again and found a new position, just to feel the difference. She stood upright and placed one leg on the edge of the tub, twisting Emma's right nipple with her free hand. Tingles shot straight to her pussy. She threw her head back and hissed as she came: wide and open, "Emma!"

**Emma**

Emma stood just outside the entrance to Regina's bathroom.

"Emma!"

Huh, was Regina calling for her? She peeked inside, snagging a towel as she went, only to see the silhouette of her body moving in a very distinct manner.

Emma's mouth went dry as she ran back to her room. She wasn't even sure she saw what she thought she saw…but she did see it. Regina masturbating with the shower head…she'd probably claim she was trying to "switch" them back.

Emma returned to her guest room, and immediately crawled into the big claw foot tub.

The water was too hot so she stood and flipped the cold tap up. There was an enormous mirror, across from the tub, that showed her every angle of Regina's body from the front.

"Nice." Emma nodded appreciatively. In the softer lighting of this particular room, Regina's skin and musculature and curves were beautifully accentuated. The light in the downstairs bathroom, and to a certain degree in Regina's own bathroom, could be harsh at times. This lighting gave fuller effect. Emma lowered herself into the tub and ducked her head under.

She kept her bath short because she knew that her drunken state might lead to napping, which wouldn't be safe in this tub. Without much toweling off, she climbed out, walked back into the bedroom, and unceremoniously flung herself onto the bed.

Emma could not get her argument with Regina out of her mind. She harrumphed and rolled around on silken sheets, settling on her stomach.

Without meaning to, at first, she started rocking her hips, the way she always did when she just couldn't sleep. Then, absolutely intentionally, she spread her legs and created more friction.

She reached down between her legs and lowered her forehead onto the pillow. It didn't help when she tried to speed things up, and the harder she rubbed Regina's clit, the less inclined she was to actually cum. So she had to slow down and explore a little. Emma even experimented with knees up, knees down, and whether Regina's body could cum with one arm bracing herself up. And…

Wow.

This she liked. Emma gritted her teeth and grasped the headboard with her left hand while her right went to work.

Still, she had to go slowly. A sheen of sweat covered her chest while she stroked and pinched and circled Regina's absurdly sensitive and yet demanding clit. Even Regina's clit was demanding!

Emma laughed breathlessly. She rocked her hips forward, dug her knees into the bed, and then slipped a finger inside herself, using her palm to grind against her clit. Regina's clit. Whatever! Emma giggled again.

She suddenly imagined herself back in her own body. Which led to thoughts about being here, now, with Regina in her own body as well. The thought of fucking Regina just like this, on all fours, pushed her over the edge.

Her first orgasm hit her hard and she could only bury her face in the pillow and ride it out as quietly as possible.

The frustration and anger that followed surprised Emma.

Tears rolled from the corners of her eyes, stinging on their way down. She reached between her spread thighs and started again. There was so much pent up energy in Regina that Emma just wanted to either fuck it out of her or cry it out—or both, apparently. She stopped, sniffled and swiped the backs of both hands over her cheeks.

A few deep breaths later, and Emma was calmer. She turned onto her side and watched lights move outside the window. Every time a car passed, the shadows changed on the walls.

She wondered, not for the first time, if they were really stuck in each other's bodies. They would have to move in together, not only to share custody with Henry, but to get Regina out of Snow White's home. Emma didn't fully trust Regina's ability to remain calm for much longer around her former nemesis.

Would they tell anybody? Would they at least tell Snow and Henry? Would either of those two forgive them for the previous 48 hours—for lying. Emma hadn't lied to her mother and son before, not really, certainly not like this. Lying to protect Regina as much as herself? Well that…that would confuse Henry and Snow even more.

She fell asleep wondering which of the two would be angriest. When she dreamed about Henry, he was only angry because his ears were dirty and nobody had helped him to clean them.

"Clean your own ears kid, jeez," Emma could be heard muttering in her sleep…

**Regina**

She slept feeling delectable and sound, awakening refreshed and rested. She was eager to get up and work on switching back. Maybe if they hit each other or if Emma slammed her against a wall just like old times… that might work?

First she realized Henry might have some questions if he found Emma in Regina's room. She raced down the hall, looking for wherever Emma had taken her body to sleep. She flung open the door and was greeted to the sight of her body completely naked and ass up on the bed.

**Emma: **

By morning, dreams of swamplands and alligators replaced Emma's anxiety dreams about parenting. An alligator in a fur coat was just discussing American politics with her when Regina showed up.

"What. The. Hell." Regina stepped right on the poor little gator's head!

"Huh?" Emma asked.

"Why. Are. You. Naked?" Regina was hissing now, like a snake. "Wake up!"

Then a snake flew from Regina's mouth and hit Emma in the arm repeatedly. She screamed and sat bolt upright.

"Ah!" Emma screamed again. Right beside her, in bed, up close and personal, was Regina, still in Emma's own body! Regina was hitting her, right in the arm, with a closed fist and everything. "Ow!" Emma shouted. "Ow, ow, stop it, fuck, stop it!"

"Shhhhhh!" Regina clamped her hand over Emma's mouth. "Henry will be awake in twenty minutes." She whispered loudly, shoving her face right into Emma's. It was kinda like that time Emma had shoved Regina against the shelf in the hospital supplies closet, except they were in bed. And Regina's body was bared for both to see, because during the night, Emma had kicked the covers off completely.

"Mmmmmph!" Was all Emma could say against her own hand.

"Get into my bedroom." Regina pulled her hand away at last. "I'll be leaving now. I need a change of clothes." She stared mournfully over her shoulder and sighed.

"Sorry. Kay." Emma muttered.

Regina's eyes scanned her own body, checking for damage most likely. Emma gave her the most scathing look she could muster.

"I'll do your makeup before I go. And your hair." Regina decided. "Quickly!" She clapped her hands together. "Chop, chop!"


End file.
